Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER)
today announced the composition
and weights for the 2009 Merrill Lynch Commodity index eXtraSM (MLCX).
The MLCX is designed to provide a liquid, consistent and cost-efficient
benchmark for commodity market performance and for investment in
commodities as an asset class. The MLCX contains six market sectors
identified by Merrill Lynch, including: Energy, Base Metals, Precious
Metals, Grains & Oil Seeds, Livestock and Soft Commodities & Others.
Merrill Lynch constructed the MLCX based on the liquidity of the
constituent futures contracts and the value of the global production of
each underlying commodity. The 2009 modifications on the index
composition relative to the contracts included in the 2008 MLCX are as
follows: (i) NYMEX Heating oil futures will be replaced by ICE Gas oil
futures; (ii) CBOT Soybean meal futures will be replaced by CBOT Soybean
oil futures, and (iii) US ICE (former NYBOT) Cotton futures will be
added to the index. The commodity weights, which are based on global
production value, have been recalculated and are listed below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
2009
|
|
Change
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crude oil
|
|
29.44
|
%
|
|
31.34
|
%
|
|
1.91
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heating oil
|
|
11.82
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
-11.82
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gasoline
|
|
12.91
|
%
|
|
11.62
|
%
|
|
-1.28
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Natural Gas
|
|
5.84
|
%
|
|
4.68
|
%
|
|
-1.17
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cattle
|
|
2.51
|
%
|
|
2.13
|
%
|
|
-0.38
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corn
|
|
4.66
|
%
|
|
4.77
|
%
|
|
0.11
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wheat
|
|
6.15
|
%
|
|
8.19
|
%
|
|
2.04
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soybean
|
|
1.03
|
%
|
|
3.41
|
%
|
|
2.38
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coffee
|
|
1.00
|
%
|
|
0.90
|
%
|
|
-0.10
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sugar
|
|
2.12
|
%
|
|
1.52
|
%
|
|
-0.59
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aluminum
|
|
4.82
|
%
|
|
3.61
|
%
|
|
-1.22
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copper
|
|
6.73
|
%
|
|
5.47
|
%
|
|
-1.25
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nickel
|
|
2.80
|
%
|
|
1.58
|
%
|
|
-1.22
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zinc
|
|
2.24
|
%
|
|
1.16
|
%
|
|
-1.08
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gold
|
|
3.06
|
%
|
|
2.75
|
%
|
|
-0.31
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Silver
|
|
0.48
|
%
|
|
0.42
|
%
|
|
-0.06
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hogs
|
|
1.08
|
%
|
|
0.87
|
%
|
|
-0.21
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soy meal
|
|
1.33
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
-1.33
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gas oil
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
12.36
|
%
|
|
12.36
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soybean oil
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
1.60
|
%
|
|
1.60
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cotton
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
1.62
|
%
|
|
1.62
|
%
|
About Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is one of the world’s leading wealth management, capital
markets and advisory companies, with offices in 40 countries and
territories and total client assets of approximately $1.5 trillion at
September 26, 2008. As an investment bank, it is a leading global trader
and underwriter of securities and derivatives across a broad range of
asset classes and serves as a strategic advisor to corporations,
governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. Merrill Lynch owns
approximately half of BlackRock, one of the world's largest publicly
traded investment management companies, with approximately $1.3 trillion
in assets under management at September 30, 2008. For more information
on Merrill Lynch, please visit www.ml.com.
